The present invention is directed to a convenient and efficient means for dispensing and more specifically to a multiple-mist dispenser for dispersing dispersement (such as a spray or mist) in a plurality of directions and/or having a net or wire grid in front of at least one dispersement nozzle.
Hand washing is extremely important to reduce the spread of germs, bacteria, and disease. Sometimes, however, soap and water are not readily available. In addition, regular washing with soap and water may irritate the skin. Several products on the market recognize this and attempt to provide alcohol based hand sanitizers (both rinses and gels) as is discussed in the article, “Maximizing Hand-Hygiene Compliance to Improve Outcomes: A New Tool for Infection Control,” published in the November 2001 issue of Infection Control Today at http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/articles/1 b1feat4.html.
There are also many patents directed to devices aimed at reducing the spread of germs, bacteria, and disease. U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,991 to Ophardt, for example, is directed to a fingerprint activated soap dispenser. U.S. Pat. No. 5,863,497 to Dirksing is directed to an electrostatic hand sanitizer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,808,553 to Cunningham is directed to an apparatus for enforcing hygiene. U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,322 to Jaw is directed to a structure of sterilizing hand dryer. U.S. Pat. No. 4,670,010 to Dragone is directed to a liquid-nebulizing device for the dermatological treatment of the hands. U.S. Pat. No. 3,220,424 to Nelson is directed to sanitizing equipment for sanitizing a person's hands. German Patent No. DE3604256 to Barsom is directed to a device for disinfecting, cleaning, and drying hands. The proliferation of devices emphasizes the need for an effective device for hand sterilization.
The best hand sanitizers and sterilization agents, however, do not work if the user promptly reinfects himself.
One example of a user reinfecting himself is when, after a thorough hand washing, a door with a contaminated handle must be opened. This usually occurs when a user washes his hands in the bathroom. Then, to leave the bathroom, he must open a door that has been handled by others who have not diligently sterilized his hands. This type of reinfection can sometimes be avoided by using a paper towel to open the door.
Another example of reinfection is when sterilized hands are used on a dirty “computer” controller such as a keyboard, mouse, button, touch screen, trackball, joystick, or other means for controlling a “computer.” “Computer,” for purposes of this disclosure, includes any controllable device, including, but not limited to, computers, games, copy machines, elevators, typewriters, adding machines, and any other device that can be controlled. Reinfection is extremely common when multiple people use a computer controller. This occurs when the “computer” is in public places such as libraries, public information kiosks, gaming facilities, stores, elevators, and other publicly accessible locations. This also occurs in offices where multiple people use the same workstation. Even a private controller may be contaminated by the user's own previous prior unsterilized usage. Once the user's sterilized hands touch the unsterilized controller, the user's hands become unsterilized.
Even the containers of the hand sanitizers can carry infections. If a user touches the container with unsterilized hands, the container becomes contaminated. The usual practice is for the user to pour hand sterilizer onto one hand. If the user puts down the container and rubs his hands together appropriately, he would have sterilized hands as long as he did not touch the unsterilized container again. The more likely scenario, however, is that he would sterilize one hand, touch the container, and then sterilize the other hand. This would leave the user with one unsterilized hand and, if the hands were brought together, possibly two unsterilized hands.
Some types of soap and hand sterilizers come in containers that are wall mounted. The user may actuate the wall-mounted devices, for example, by placing one hand under a spout and pressing a button with one or more fingers or thumb, placing his fingers under the spout and pushing a lever with the heel of his hand, or placing the palm of his hand under the spout and pulling forward with one or more of his fingers. These all require at least some contact with contaminated surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,250 to De Laforcade (the “De Laforcade reference”) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,810 to Nerushai et al. (the “Nerushai reference”) are directed to devices for spraying a liquid that has at least two nozzles. It should be noted, however, that the purpose of both of these devices is to provide a single and homogeneous spray. This is done by directing the sprays of the nozzles so that they at least partially overlap and/or join together. Such a configuration is not significantly functionally different from a single spray dispenser.